In 2024, Niger suffered severe flooding that caused nearly 400 fatalities and affected 1.5 million residents. The disaster, attributed to heavy rainfall linked to climate change, resulted in widespread infrastructure damage and significant delays in the school year. Key regions like Zinder faced particular devastation, stressing the urgency for improved climate adaptation measures.
In 2024, floods in Niger resulted in the tragic loss of nearly 400 lives and affected over 1.5 million people, as reported by the Interior Minister, Mohamed Toumba. He stated that 396 individuals perished due to flooding, with an additional 405 sustaining injuries. Furthermore, more than 200,000 households, impacting a total of 1,526,653 residents, experienced the adverse effects of the floods.
Experts have indicated that climate change, exacerbated by human-induced fossil fuel emissions, is intensifying the occurrence of extreme weather events, including severe rains and prolonged droughts. In Niger’s Sahel region, harsh drought conditions have intensified the floods, as the dry and hardened soil fails to adequately absorb rainfall. The particularly violent rainy season recorded from June to September affected even the normally arid northern regions bordering the Sahara.
The UNESCO-listed Agadez, known for its historic architecture, suffered significant damage, including to its iconic 16th-century Grand Mosque. The national weather office noted that certain areas experienced rainfall levels that exceeded previous years by as much as 200 percent. Regions such as Dosso, Maradi, Zinder, and Tahoua faced substantial devastation from the floods, with Zinder seeing the collapse of its historic mud brick mosque.
Road damage from the rains temporarily isolated the capital, Niamey, from the rest of the country. Additionally, many schools were impacted and had to accommodate displaced individuals, leading the military junta to postpone the academic year’s start by almost a month, rescheduling it for October 28. Last year’s torrential rains also resulted in the destruction of over 158,000 homes and the loss of approximately 31,000 livestock.
The floods in Niger during 2024 have led to significant casualties and widespread displacement, attributable to unprecedented rainfall exacerbated by climate change. The severe impact on infrastructure, including the collapse of historic buildings and interruption to education, underscores the urgent need for climate resilience and effective disaster management strategies to mitigate such catastrophic events in the future.
Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com
